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Solar charge doesn't work.

2454585
3 months ago

Does solar charging work?
I have tried turning the watch off and leaving it more than 2h in full sun (in Spain) and it hasn't charged at all. This same test with a fenix 7 or fenix 7 pro charged 1%. With the supposed improvement in solar charging that they have implemented, I expected it to charge ... Is solar charging disabled, is my unit defective, or is it just all smoke and mirrors?

Maybe it no longer charges off like other models and you have to leave it on, so it is almost impossible to verify the charging data garmin offers?

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  • 0 3 months ago

    Solar charging should work with the watch off, but there are conditions when the charging is disabled: 

    1. The watch is overheated. That happens easily if you let the watch alone on the direct sunlight without any cooling. When on the wrist, the watch is cooled by your body.
    2. The battery is full, resp. over 80% (not absolutely sure whether the 80% threshold is true at Enduro 3 too, but I assume it is, just like at other models)
  • 0 3 months ago

    Fenix/ Enduro Solar only decreases the decharging rate of the Battery, it won't increase the Battery Level in normal Operation

  • 0 3 months ago
    Chris said:
    Fenix/ Enduro Solar only decreases the decharging rate of the Battery, it won't increase the Battery Level in normal Operation

    Not really true. It depends whether the current consumption is greater or lower than the charging supply. During an outdoor activity, it is true, that there cannot be any charging, just slowing down of the consumption, but when the watch is in low power mode or completely off, then the charging does happen if the solar intensity is high enough.

  • 0 3 months ago in reply to trux

    Thats what i meant with "normal.operation". But what i did not know/expect is that the switched off clock can get a Charge by laying outside, thats interesting Thumbsup

  • 0 3 months ago in reply to Chris
    Chris said:
    switched off clock can get a Charge by laying outside

    If it does not overheat. I recommend placing it face up in a water container, with the face dry (just cooling the bottom). And not behind a window, rather really outside (as long as you do not risk a theft Slight smile )

  • 0 3 months ago

    The Enduro 3 can charge the battery. The math works out the 100k lux is close to 1% battery. Keep in mind that the watch using some of that. 2 days ago I had 68% battery, yesterday I had 256k lux(I work outside) and that got me to 71%, then this morning I was at 69%, I got 170k lux and now I'm back to 70%. It would definitely be impractical to try and charge the battery alot from solar but it definitely adds up overtime. Yesterday for example I got more charge than I used. Also as a side note I noticed the battery percentage goes down faster when it's near 100% than it does when it get lower.

  • 0 3 months ago

    The solar charging works fine, did a test and 2 hrs in the sun increased from 86 to 87%, on a fairly bright, sunny day.

  • 0 3 months ago in reply to trux

    or just leaving on wrist, skin cools it perfectly.
    Ff7 is made of metal (steel / titanium), maybe light wind cools it way more than polymer case of enduro3?

  • 0 3 months ago in reply to Jimmanator

    Do those count as charge cycles?
    Hoe does that affect the battery health on the long run?

  • 0 3 months ago in reply to PHomero
    PHomero said:
    Do those count as charge cycles?

    Not really. A charging cycle is from empty (or almost empty) to full (or almost full). That will never happen with solar charging, since it typically barely partially covers the immediate consumption. And the upping of the battery when it is full, that degrades its state, is avoided by the threshold of 80% when the solar charging shuts off.